Warzone Wreckage: Moscow Scrambles to Identify Putin's Fallen Troops After Ukrainian Forces Unleash Havoc Inside Russia

Ukrainian forces have reportedly inflicted such heavy losses on Russian troops that Moscow has struggled to identify the fallen soldiers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces recently made a significant breakthrough in battle lines, creating a 12-mile breach deep into Russian territory, marking the first Ukrainian incursion into Russia since World War II.

The unexpected counteroffensive caught Russian President Vladimir Putin off guard, Mirror reported.

In the Kursk region, Ukrainian soldiers have been so successful at infiltrating beyond Russia's border that the country has struggled to identify the remains of its fallen troops. Estimates suggest that Putin has lost around 1,200 officers and soldiers as prisoners since Zelensky’s forces crossed into the border region.

Ukrainian forces have seized around 30 settlements during the operation.

In response, Putin reportedly has appointed Colonel-General Alexei Dyumin, 51, to oversee the Russian military’s response, coordinating with the defense ministry, security agencies and regional authorities.

Dyumin, a former Putin bodyguard who once saved the president from a bear attack, is seen by some analysts as a potential successor to the 71-year-old leader.

Russian military commentators have praised the decision to place Dyumin in charge, citing his reputation in the military and special services.

State TV reporter Aleksandr Sladkov remarked, “Dyumin is a military man, respected in the army and in the special services. Dyumin is Putin's man, he will not allow the President to be deceived.”

Reports from the Khorne Group Telegram channel suggest that as many as 490 Russian troops were killed in a missile strike on a military convoy near Rylsk in the Kursk region on Friday. Corpses were reportedly found in military trucks.

Meanwhile, the Volya Telegram channel claimed that Russian losses far exceed those of Ukraine. A Ukrainian officer estimated that around 1,200 Russian soldiers and officers have been captured since the operation began.

A Russian staff officer offered a different figure, stating that approximately 750 Russian servicemen have been captured by Ukrainian forces within a week, including many conscripts and border guards.

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The large number of Russian prisoners is attributed to the lack of up-to-date maps, drone support and intelligence among Russian units, leading them to either lose their way and encounter Ukrainian forces or fall into ambushes.

Ukrainian reconnaissance groups have also faced ambushes and suffered losses in equipment and personnel.

Amid the chaos in the combat zone, the operation continues. Reports from the Russian Defense Ministry claiming control over the situation are reportedly far from reality. However, reinforcements continue to flow into the Kursk region.